Welcome everyone! I have a super recipe for you today, one you just might want to use on Valentine’s Day to treat your special someone with a very special dessert. I like this recipe because it’s easy, tastes great and has a spice I don’t often use, cardamom.
French Apple Cake
Serves 8
Adapted from “Around My French Table” by Dories Greenspan
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups mixed apples, such as Fuji, Golden Delicious, or Gala
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons dark rum
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
3/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
You want to start by assembling all your ingredients. I like to sit down and read the recipe through a day or two before making it. Then I can create a shopping list for anything I don’t happen to have on hand and make sure everything is in my kitchen when I’m ready to start baking.
When I’m ready to start baking I get all the ingredients out and all the pans, measuring utensils, knives, etc. that I’m going to need. Then I begin.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven. Brush the inside of a 6 or 8 inch springform pan with melted butter and place it on a baking sheet. I like to line my springform pan with parchment paper then spread with melted butter.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
Peel and dice the apples into about 1-inch cubes. You need 4 cups (about 3 large apples or 4 smaller ones).
Next, prepare your melted butter (1 stick). It needs to melt and than cool to room temperature. I like to grind my own Cardamom so I did that as well as zested 1 lemon.
Add two room temperature eggs to a large bowl and beat until frothy. I used a whisk for this and it worked out well. You can see all the bubbles. Just takes a couple of minutes.
Add the sugar, rum, vanilla, cardamom, and lemon zest to the eggs and whisk to blend.
Add half the flour mixture and blend and than add half the butter and blend. Repeat using the second half of the flour mixture and the butter. Mix gently to create a smooth batter.
Switch to a rubber spatula and add the apples to the batter. Fold the apples gently into the batter until each apple cube is covered with batter.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and sooth out the top with the spatula. Bake for 60-70 minutes for an 8-inch pan and 2 hours for a 6-inch pan. I had neither so used a 9-inch pan for about 60 minutes. When the cake is golden brown on top and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, the cake is done. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen, if you haven’t used parchment paper. Carefully remove the sides of the cake pan. Remove the bottom and transfer to a cake server. Serve with lemon or vanilla flavored whipped cream.
The first picture shows the cake right out of the oven. Choose a pretty plate and paper doily for presentation.
Delicious and easy. Try this one soon. You won’t be sorry.